Stereoscopic imagery for television and computer monitors is performed by presenting a different image to each eye of the observer. Images for each eye may be created and presented electronically, electrooptically and/or purely optically such that the human observer perceives a three dimensional image. Using these methods, it is possible to create complex three dimensional presentations which may be used in a wide variety of applications.
Most systems for producing stereoscopic imagery have depended on the use of true stereo pairs of images created by complex and costly optical or computer systems. Although there have been attempts to convert two dimensional images to three dimensional images using field delay with image shifting (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,832), such conversions have not produced three dimensional imagery having sufficient quality. For example, it is not possible to create a quality three dimensional image of a still image using prior art methods since field delay may be required. Other transformations of such pairs of images from one encoding method to another has been also been difficult and costly because they generally require depth information and computation. Furthermore, it has been necessary to generate stereo pairs of images using two separate cameras or a single camera with special lenses. Such arrangements are costly and difficult to use.
A need therefore exists for a method and device for providing stereoscopic images which can be done rapidly and inexpensively. The device and method should also be able to form the stereoscopic image without substantially degrading the image or color.